Fresh Start
by Dragonfly-heart-Angel-Soul
Summary: Bella ran away with Jasper four years ago. Now living happily in L.A. they are undergoing some changes. Some old faces return in their life as new doors open for the couple. What will happen?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Twilight or That 70s show. Please Review.**

I looked around my small apartment as I sipped my morning coffee. I smiled as I my eyes connected with my picture wall. There was one in the dead center of Jasper and I. I was wearing this white sundress and he is in his nicest jeans with a white button up shirt. It was taken at the courthouse a year ago the day we were married. It was taken by my co-worker Ashley. She is the punk rocker who gave a pregnant runaway a chance as an employee and friend. She even helped us get this apartment which is right above hers. Next to it is a picture of my little girl, Sydney Rose Whitlock. It was taken on her first birthday. She had cake on her hands and was reaching for Jasper, who took the picture. It is hard to believe that it has been over two years since that moment. "Well, Momma we are off to daycare." Jasper said as he came into the living room holding on to Sydney's hand.

"I hope you have a good day princess." I said as I knelt down to her height. "Mommy loves you, princess." I said before I kissed her head. I moved a piece of her blonde hair out of her face.

"I love you." She said as she smiled at me. I got up and wrapped my arms around Jasper.

"I love you." I said before I kissed him.

"I love you." He said as he pulled away. "Lunch the same place."

"If the same place means the back room of the record store, then yes." I said as I smiled at him.

"Is there any other place?" He asked with a laugh.

"For normal people." I said with a smile as I watched them walk out. It wasn't long before I followed behind. I made it to work just in time. I worked at this record store opened in the return of the eighties. It is pretty much surviving because Ashley comes from money. Her parents work in television.

"Bells, you are cutting it close." Ashley said as she looked up at me.

"Sorry." I said as I looked at her.

"That's what you are wearing today?" She asked me. I looked down at my Styx t-shirt and faded jeans.

"Yeah, why?" I asked her as I looked at her confused.

"Oh no, sweetie this is good. My dad is coming here today to meet you." She said as she smiled at me.

"Why do I feel like I am about to hit you?" I asked her.

"Because you might. See my folks are working on casting a new project and I mentioned you." She said with a smile.

"No, you didn't. You showed them the community theater tapes. I knew there was no guy on earth wanting to sit through those." I said as I looked at her.

"You will love me for this." She said with a smile. "This could get you out of the record business." She said with a smile.

"I like this business. There is nothing I know better than the music of the seventies and the eighties." I said as I looked at her. It was about a minute later that a man in a polo shirt and kakis came in. He was so not our typical customer.

"Princess." He said as he hugged Ashley.

"Daddy!" She squealed.

"And you must be Bella." He said as he reached out to shake my hand. "I am Andrew Peterson. Can we talk somewhere?" He asked me.

"In the back room." I said as I looked at him. I led him into the dusty mess that was the back room.

"Miss. Whitlock, I brought you a script for our new project." He said as he handed me a script. I looked at it then up at him.

"The 80's Show?" I asked. "Didn't this already crash and burn?" I asked him.

"No that was That 80's Show. This is a direct link to That 70's show." He said as he looked at me. "I have an audition scheduled for you." He said as he handed me a card. "Friday at noon." He said. "For Ava."

"What if I don't want to do this?" I asked him.

"You are a young mother working here. Ashley told me about the whole songwriting thing. You won't make it in entertainment period signing for half empty bars." He said as he looked at me.

"I will try to be there." I said as I looked at him. We walked back into the main room when I looked at him and said "By the way it's Mrs. Whitlock."

"A little young to be married aren't you?" He asked.

"I have a kid what do I have to wait for?" I asked back.

"I will see you Friday." He said before he walked out. It was later in the day when Ashley finally brought it up.

"You know he doesn't typically give people the whole script. They really want you." She said as she smiled at me.

"That doesn't mean I am going through with it." I said as I looked at her.

"You will be working with Mila Kunis, Danny Masterson, and Ashton mother fucking Kutcher and you are thinking about not taking it." She said as she frowned at me.

"I can't just dive into something head first I have a family." I said as I looked at her.

"Yes, and this is a chance to get you out of the three floor walkup. You could have everything you ever wanted. Be able to give Syd whatever she wanted. This could be your only chance at a big brake." She said as Jasper walked in.

"What is going on?" He asked me.

"Bella got offered a part in a new sitcom." She said as looked at him. "And your wife is thinking about not taking it." She said as she handed him the script.

"Are you kidding me?" He said as he looked at me. "You have to try for it." He said with a smile.

"You think so?" I asked.

"Of course." He said. "It's your dream. You know the words to the episodes of That 70s show."

"Fine, but this is the only time I try something like this." I said as I looked at them.

"I am fine with that." Jasper said as he looked at me. "Now can we eat lunch?" He said as he held up a Marco's diner bag.

"Yeah." I said as I led him to the back room.

"You know one day we might actually not be eating lunch back here." He said as he handed me a salad. I was sitting on a crate and he was on the floor, but it was perfect to us.

"I think I would miss this." I said as I smiled at him.

"You think so? Because I think I would be fine not wondering if a rat was going to steal my burger." He said with a laugh.

"We sure came a long way from Forks High School." I said with a laugh.

"That we did." He said with a smile.

"We are a couple of twenty year olds struggling on own our." He said as he looked at me.

"No, no, no I am still nineteen I have two weeks left of being nineteen." I said as I looked at him.

"Calm down Bells." He said with a laugh. "I know that you are nineteen."

"You better." I said with a laugh. The rest of the day seemed to fly by. Before I knew it Sydney was tucked into bed and Jasper was studying for the English class he was taking at the community college. I had my feet on his lap and my back against the arm of the sofa reading the script. I found myself not reading the words on the page in my head I was in Point Place in 1981.

_ The Forman's back yard was full of excitement. Tables sat up so that it was easy to talk to everyone and everyone had a view of the beautiful blushing bride. Donna Pinciotti … well now Forman had waited way too long for this moment. Eric Forman was the love of her life. Unfortunately for her he was also a dumbass. "Forman, man I am just so … well surprised that you actually went through with this." Their childhood friend Steven Hyde said as he stood in front of the yard full of people. "I am happy for you two. May you have many happy years or at least many miserable years." He said as he with a laugh before he took a drink of his beer._

_ "Awe Steven can you believe it my little Eric is married." Kitty Forman said as she came up to him. She was in a crazy mixture of tears and laughter._

_ "Nope, I am completely surprised that the poor bastard actually showed up." He said as he looked at the woman who practically raised him before letting his eyes wonder to the other side of the yard. _

_ "For the last time Fez I am not going to take you back." Jackie Burkhart said as she stormed across the yard._

_ "What did I do that was so bad, Jackie?" Fez asked as he followed her._

_ "You are weird and creepy. Okay, we tried it out. But, news flash we aren't a good couple. Move on." She said as she looked at him._

_ "I will make you mine again, Jackie Burkhart. You will never be able to get rid of me." He said to her. She kicked him in the shin and ran away. _

_ "Having Fez issues?" Hyde asked her as she bumped into him._

_ "That is nothing really. You know you just have to push them back into the dating game for their own good." She said with a smile. "And so they stop sitting outside your apartment crying to your door. I went out the window to get here today." She said with a laugh. _

_ "I warned you about him." He said with a laugh._

_ "No you didn't." She said with a smile._

_ "Hey you just want to get out of here?" He asked her._

_ "Sure why not." She said as she smiled at him. The two walked away together. _

_ "Look at that we might have another wedding in our future." Kitty said as she smiled at her husband._

_ "Ah Hell." He mumbled. _

_Later at Groves…_

_ Hyde was sitting on the counter watching Jackie go through the bins. "So, this is what a big shot news anchor does on this the day of her best friend's wedding?" Hyde said with a laugh._

_ "I do the weather for the Point Place news that is far from being a big shot." She said with a laugh._

_ "Tell that to the people who watch the Point Place News." He said with a laugh._

_ "Says the guy with his own successful business." She said as she looked at him before someone came in. A young girl carrying a guitar case and a duffel bag. She was wearing wore out jeans and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt._

_ "We are closed." Hyde said as he looked at her._

_ "I am not here to waste money on worthless pop records." She said as she stared at him._

_ "Well we aren't hiring either." He said._

_ "Yes because I would want to work in this dump. Are you Steven?" She asked._

_ "Who wants to know?" Hyde asked._

_ "His sister." The girl said as she jumped her duffel bag and pulled a picture out of her pocket. "You sure look like Steven to me." She said as she handed him the picture. _

_ "Who gave you this?" He asked as he looked the picture from his prom._

_ "My mother, Edna. She left it behind when she took off last month." She said._

_ "Trucker?" He asked._

_ "Yep." She said as she looked at him. "If it isn't bad enough that I lost my dad, then the mother I am shipped off to live with left me." _

_ "Oh you poor thing, do you want to talk about it?" Jackie asked as she ran over to hug the girl._

_ "No, feelings are for those who can afford them." The girl said._

_ "What's your name?" Hyde asked._

_ "Ava. Ava Mitchell." The girl said._

_ "Oh yeah your dad is the firefighter." Hyde said as he looked at her._

_ "Cop, actually." Ava said._

_ "How did you not notice your mother was knocked up?" Jackie asked._

_ "She kept her weight down by smoking. At least that is what she told me." Ava answered._

_ "That sounds like Edna." Hyde said._

_The Next Day…_

_ "HYDE!" Kelso screamed as he came into the Grooves carrying a small child. "Look what I taught Betsy. Come on baby tell Uncle Hyde what Red says." He said as he looked at the child._

_ "Dumbass." The little girl squealed. _

_ "Wow, Brooke is going to kill you for that one." Hyde said with a laugh._

_ "Steven, there is a hippie outside looking for you." Ava said as she walked into the store._

_ "Oh yeah that is Leo." Hyde said as he walked over to the door. "LEO COME IN SIDE!" He yelled out the window._

_ "Is this your girlfriend because Mrs. Forman told me you were back with Jackie?" Kelso asked._

_ "No and No." Hyde said._

_ "Oh well that's good because Jackie is a bitch." Kelso said._

_ "You better be lucky you are holding the kid." Hyde said as he looked at Kelso. "By the way this is my sister." _

_ "That's not Angie." Kelso said._

_ "You have another sister?" Ava asked._

_ "On my dad's side." Hyde said._

_ "Oh." Ava said._

_ "Damn this one came from Edna. She isn't as whorey as you would think." Kelso said with a laugh._

_ "Well, I was raised by my father." Ava said as she looked at him. "Oh and sixteen so don't look, don't touch or I will call the cops." She said._

_ "Like that scares me. I am a security guard." Kelso said with a laugh._

_ "I have seen chicks more scarier than you." Ava said with a laugh. "Pretty boy."_

_ "Hyde your sister is mean." Kelso wined._

_ "Well, thank you for the compliment." Ava said with a smile. _

_ "Ava don't scare away Kelso, he is my free entertainment." Hyde said with a smile. "Now if a weird foreign boy comes in chasing Jackie, you can scare him away." He said as he put his hand on her shoulder._

_ "Weird foreign boy got it." She said with a smile. "When are you going to enroll me in school?" She asked._

_ "Wait you give a damn about school." Hyde said._

_ "Yeah, without education I will end up like Edna. I mean before all the boos, drugs, and whoring around she might have been a pretty young girl." Ava said._

_ "By young you mean?" Hyde asked._

_ "Like what twelve." She said with a laugh. _

_ "Fez, Get lost!" Jackie yelled as she walked into the store._

_ "Weird foreign boy?" Ava asked as Fez came in behind Jackie._

_ "That would be him." Hyde said with a smile. _

_ "Jackie come on give me another chance." Fez said as he looked at her._

_ "Dude, grow some balls." Ava said as she looked at him._

_ "Who are you?" Fez asked as he looked at her._

_ "She is Hyde's sister." Kelso said._

_ "She is hot." Fez said as he smiled at the young girl._

_ "And a minor so get lost." Ava said with a smile._

I looked up at Jasper and smiled. "What is it?" He asked me.

"I want this part so bad now." I said as I smiled at him. I put the script on the coffee table and got up. "You want anything?" I asked as I walked over to the kitchen.

"No." He said with a smile as he watched me go to the fridge and grabbed the leftovers from tonight. I walked over to the microwave and put my bowl in and pushed the start button. I looked over at the pile of mail and saw something under a stack of junk mail. I pulled out a pink sticky note that read: Alice and had a number.

"Hey babe, who is Alice?" I asked as I turned to look at him.

"My sister." He said as he looked at me.

"We haven't talked to her in years." I said as I looked at him.

"I know that." He said as he got up. "Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Yeah, just wondering how this got here." I said as I handed him the post-it note.

"You don't think she is here in the city do you?" He asked me.

"Only one way to find out." I said as I looked at him. "You want to do it?" I asked as I picked up the phone.

"No, you do it." He said as he looked at me.

"Okay." I said as I dialed the number on the post-it note. I waited as it rang and rang and rang. Then finally a voice came on the other line.

"Bella is that you?" I knew that it was Alice even after four years. "Oh I hoped you would get my post-it."

"Alice please tell me you didn't break into my house?" I asked with a laugh.

"Oh no, Jake would never let me do that." She said with a laugh. "I put it on some chicken coupons. Is Jazzy there?" She asked.

"Yeah, he is standing right next to me." I said as I smiled at him.

"Put me on speaker." She said.

"Okay, but no yelling I just put Sydney to bed." I said as I pushed the orange speaker button.

"Sydney?" She asked.

"Our little girl." Jasper answered. "You would love her."

"It's a girl? Jake they had a baby girl." She said.

"You knew Bella was pregnant?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah Rose found the test after you two left town." She said. "You know people have been worried sick about you. Charlie went crazy without you. Your faces are on every pole in town." She said.

"I guess we could have thought things out a little better." I said as I placed the phone on the counter. "How did you find us anyways?"

"Funny story, true story." She said with a laugh. "We are in town for a few weeks and on Monday we just happened to stop in this nice little record shop. I looked on the wall to see your picture. I paid the lady working fifty bucks for your address."

"You paid Ashley for my address." I said as I looked at Jasper.

"Sounds like the Alice I knew." Jasper said with a laugh.

"We should meet for lunch. How about Friday?" She asked.

"I can't I have a meeting." I said.

"Saturday?" She asked. "That way you can bring the little one."

"Saturday should be fine." I said as I looked at Jasper.

"Great well I have to go. I will call you tomorrow." She said. "We love you guys."

"Love you too." I said before she hung up. "Can you believe that?"

"There is no explaining those crazy Cullen's." He said with a laugh as he thought about his adoptive family.

"Wait hold on did she mean my Jake?" I asked as I reached for the phone. "Dude, how weird would it be if my adoptive brother was with your adoptive sister." I said as I started to dial the phone.

"Ask tomorrow sweets." He said as he took the phone away from me. Next thing I know he was picking me up.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him.

"Our bedroom." He said with a smile.

"What about my food?" I asked him.

"It will be there later." He replied as he placed me on our bed.

"Mr. Whitlock why do I have the feeling you are up to no good?" I asked with a laugh.

"Because I just might be." He said before he kissed me.


	2. Chapter 2

Saturday came around faster than I thought. My audition seemed to go great. They said they loved me and I would be getting a call soon. I was sitting on pins and needles as I watching Sydney play with her little guitar. "You play just like Momma?" Jasper as her as he sat down on the sofa and smiled at us sitting on the floor. Each of us had a guitar in our hands and each of us strumming along.

"Sydney you know who taught me how to play?" I asked my little girl with a smile. She shook her head no with a smile bright enough to lite up the Hollywood sign. "Your daddy did." I said with a smile as I thought back to a night years ago.

**I had been in town for a few months and Alice all but kidnapped me to get me to come over. We were doing make overs and talking about the local boys. She asked if I left anyone behind in Phoenix and she acted stunned when I told her no. Before she went on about who I had a shot with here. "Just stay away from Mike. He is a bit weird and Jess has dibs on him." She said as I got up. **

** "I think I am going to go to the bathroom." I said as I headed for the door. I walked down the hallway trying to remember where she told me where the bathroom was. Their house was the biggest house I had ever been in. I walked down to the end of the hallway. I stood outside an open door listening to the music coming out of it. I found myself walking into the room.**

** "Oh sorry was I bothering you." A very handsome young man looked up at me from his bed. He had the most amazing blonde hair and golden eyes. And a smile that knocked me off my feet. I had met him once or twice before. His name was Jasper Whitlock. He was Alice's brother. He was strumming away on an acoustic guitar. **

** "No, it was beautiful." I said as I smiled at him. "I shouldn't have come in here." I said as I headed back to the hallway.**

** "No, it's fine. Sit down." He said with a smile. "Have you ever played?" He asked me as I sat down next to him.**

** "No." I said as I looked at him. **

** "Well let's change that." He said with a smile. He placed the guitar in my lap and placed my hand around the neck forming a chord with my fingers. "And now you can say you have." He said as he took my other hand and strummed the strings. I just smiled at him. **

"Well, you are better than I am now." Jasper said with a smile. I worked really hard to make that happened. I used online resources and the lessons that my father paid for.

"What can I say I don't give up?" I said as I looked at him.

"Me either Momma." Sydney said as she looked at us.

"That girl is going to be a super star one day." I said with a laugh.

"She takes after her mother." Jasper said as there was a knock at the door.

"Ten bucks it's Alice." I said as Jasper got up and walked over to the door.

"It could be Ashley." He said as he looked at me.

"Are you going to bet against me? I learned from Alice." I said with a laugh.

"I am willing to take that bet." He said as he opened the door. "Shit." He said.

"Four years and I get greeted with shit." Alice said as she walked into our apartment and sure enough Jake was right behind her.

"He bet against me." I said as I got up. I sat my guitar in the corner next to the electric before I walked over to them.

"Jasper are you stupid?" Alice squealed as she hugged me. "Look at you Bella. You never change." She said with a smile as she looked at me.

"Please." I said with a laugh.

"She is right Bells." Jake said as he hugged me. "Now I should kill you for worrying everyone sick." He said as he looked at me. "Charlie has been worried sick about you. Sue was sure you were dead." He said as he looked at me.

"Well, I am not dead." I said as I smiled at him.

"Momma!" Sydney squealed as she grabbed on to my leg.

"Syd is your uncle Jake." I said as I lifted her up into my arms.

"She is beautiful Bells." He said as he looked at her.

"I know she looks like Jasper." I said as I looked at my daughter.

"Nah, there is definitely Bella in there." Jake said with a laugh.

"Hi there, I am your Aunt Alice." Alice said as she turned her attention to Sydney.

"I am Sydney Rose Whitlock." Sydney said with a smile as I sat her back down on the floor.

"She is such a doll." Alice said as she looked at me. "We have to catch up." Alice said as she looked at me.

"How about I make us all something to eat and we can all talk?" I asked her.

"I will help you." She said with a smile. It wasn't long before Jasper and Jake were sitting at the counter as Alice helped me make Jasper's favorite cheese steak sandwiches.

"I can't believe you are giving her our recipe." Jasper said as he looked at me.

"Sweets I pulled it off the internet." I said with a laugh.

"She didn't know that." He said as he looked at me.

"Just think of it this way Jazzy. When you come to visit I can make it for you." Alice said with a smile.

"Visit Washington…no thanks." He said as he looked at his sister.

"Actually Alice and I are living in Kentucky." Jake said with a smile. "Bellarmine University."

"That is great." I said with a smile. "A bit odd, but great." I said as I smiled at him.

"What are you two doing on the other side on the country?" Jasper asked.

"Scooping out California State. I really hate the east." Alice said with a smile. "Plus, Rachel and Rebecca wanted to get together."

"How are they?" I asked as I thought about Jake's sisters.

"Great. They are both married and have children." Jake said as he looked at me. "I guess I am the only one left single." He said with a laugh.

"Trust me life is more fun this way." Alice said with a smile.

"I wouldn't know." I said as I looked at her. "I have been with the same guy since I was fourteen." I said with a smile.

"And you love every minute of it." Jasper said.

"That is true." I said with a smile.

"So how did this happen?" Jasper asked as he looked at them.

"Sometimes things just happen." Alice said with a smile. "Like Jackie and Hyde." She said as she smiled at me. "Can you believe how that show ended? And that spin off sucked. It's been two years I wished they would just bring it back." She said as she looked at me. "Remember when we would all sit in Bella's living room to watch it because Esme banned it." Alice said with a laugh.

"It was just lucky for Bella that Charlie loved it." Jasper said with a smile.

"Yeah that's how I bonded with Alice, who introduced me to you." I said as I smiled at him. It wasn't minutes later that I was plating the sandwiches when the phone rang.

"Bells, it's for you." Jasper said as he handed me the phone.

"Hello." I said into the phone. I heard the words "Congrats you got the part" and I almost hit the floor.

"I will see you then." I said as I hung up the phone after talking with the person for a few minutes.

"So?" Jasper asked.

"I got the part!" I squealed.

"This is great." He said as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Wow, what is going on?" Alice asked.

"Momma is going to be on the TV." Sydney said as she looked up at Alice.

"Seriously?" Alice asked me.

"I just got cast in a new sitcom." I said as I looked at her.

"This is great. What is it about?" She asked.

"You cannot tell a soul Alice." Jasper said as he looked at her.

"I promise." She said.

"I am going to write down the title." I said as I grabbed a note pad and a pen. I scribbled it down and handed it to her.

"OH MY GOD!" She yelled. "Please give me details. I am family." She said.

"You also have a big mouth." Jasper said.

"I won't tell." She said with a smile.

"Well, I will tell you this much it picks up in 1981 and I play Hyde's sister." I said as I looked at her. "With the original cast."

"Please tell me Jackie and Fez break up." She said.

"You will have to watch and see." I said as I smiled at her.

"Wow, well Charlie will be glad to hear you aren't suffering out here." Jake said as he smiled at me.

"So, I shouldn't mention singing on the street of tips when I talk to him." I said with a laugh.

"You didn't?" He asked me.

"Jacob Black you know me, what do you think?" I asked him as I smiled at him.

"You know we have pictures of that somewhere." Jasper said with a laugh.

"You are so crazy." Jake said as he smiled at me.

"What can I say I learned from the best?" I said as I smiled at him.

"So I am the best?" Alice asked with a smile.

"Yes sweetheart you are the best crazy person around." Jake said as he smiled at her.

"Just eat up." She said as she smiled at him.

"Alice you wouldn't poison me, I have the hotel key." He said with a laugh.

"And I have the other one." She said as she reached into her pocket. "Shit!" She yelped.

"Left it in the room didn't you?" He asked her.

"I love you Jakey poo." Alice said as she looked at him.

"I know." He said as he lifted up his sandwich. He took a bite before looking at me. "Damn this is good. I sure did miss your home coming." Jake said as he looked at me.

"Have you ever thought of going back home?" Alice asked.

"I don't think I could ever go back." I said as I looked at her. "We didn't leave on the best of terms." I said as I looked at her. I think she could tell I was reliving that night in my head again.

**It was the middle of December. Snow was falling as the sky grew dark. It was open mic night at the diner. Somehow Sue always managed to get me in there. I wasn't feeling it that night through. I still had the events of the morning burned into my head. Seeing that plus sign staring me in the face. Hearing Jasper tell me we would figure everything out. Somehow I doubted it. I was planning on leaving in a few days. I couldn't hurt Charlie. This would bring only shame to us. I couldn't hold Jasper back. He had been working so hard to reach his dreams. How could he ever get to New York to write for the times with a kid? He wouldn't. I was thinking of heading back to Phoenix. Maybe I could live with Phil's sister till I get on my feet. She always told me to think of her as family. So, I stood in front of so many familiar faces and I don't know why, but I thought back to a song that Esme was listening to a few weeks ago. I was learning it for her birthday party that I would never go to. I looked over at her sitting in a corner booth with Alice and Jasper. I smiled as I started to play. "It was one of those days…" I started as I looked at my fingers as I played. I knew this was easier not to look at him. "…Cause there'll be dead ends and road blocks, tough times and hard knocks, seems like your always wonderin' why you're at the right place, at the wrong time…" I looked up for a second as I started the next verus. I looked right into Jasper's eyes. "…It's just too tough at seventeen, you're just a baby…" I looked back down. I didn't want everyone to know what I was thinking about. "…God don't make mistakes." I finished. Everyone clapped I just ran out of there as fast as I could. I made it to my truck before I broke down in tears. I cried all the way home. I walked into the kitchen and dropped my bag and my guitar at the door. There was a note on the fridge that read: Out with Billy will be late. Love, Dad. I checked the messages on the machine before I walked up the stairs. I looked around my room for a minute before I made up my mind. I grabbed my suitcase. I grabbed some outfits from my closet, my journal, my song book, the money I hid in box on my bookshelf. I knew that would be enough to get me somewhere. I had enough on my bank card to live for about a month. I was about to zip up the bag when I looked over at the pictures sitting on my nightstand. There was one of Charlie and I at the Fourth of July block party, one of my mother and me at her wedding, and one of Jasper and I at Alice's sweet sixteen party. I was sitting in his lap with a smile a mile wide on my face. I just grabbed the picture and put them in the bag. I zipped it up and headed back down stairs. I picked up my backpack and dumped my texts books on the kitchen table. I put my purse in it and the rainy day money I had hidden in the kitty cat cookie jar. I was saving it to get Charlie a new fishing pole, but this was a little more important. Then I headed for the door. There was no need to leave a note. He would only hurt more. I grabbed my guitar case and walked out of the house for the last time. I pulled out of the driveway as I saw Jake's car pull up. My father took him in when I was twelve. His father was killed in a car accident and his mother died giving birth to him. The girls stayed with him for a while before going to college. I waved at Jake and mouthed goodbye as I passed him. I drove to the gas station before I realized the sliver Volvo tailing me. I pulled in just because I was on the edge of E. **

** "Bella where the hell are you going?" Jasper asked me as I opened the door to the truck. **

** "Anywhere, but here." I said as I looked at him. "It's for the best." **

** "Damn it Bella stop saying that shit." He said as he looked at me. "I love you more than anything in the world."**

** "What about you're writing? How are you going to make it to the Journal?" I asked him. **

** "I don't care. Nothing is more important to me than you. You are the only reason I have that silly dream. You are the only person to ever believe in me." He said as he looked at me. "Just please believe in us like that." He said as he looked down at the ground.**

** "I am not going to keep you held up in this little shit hole." I said as I looked at him.**

** "Then let me come with you." He said as he looked at me.**

** "Do I have a choice?" I asked him.**

** "No not really sweets." He said as he looked at me. **

** "I have to get some gas." I said as I hugged him.**

** "I am going to get my bag out of the Volvo." He said with a laugh.**

** "How?" I asked.**

** "Edward saw you heading for the highway and Jake said you had a bag." He explained. **

** "Oh." I said as I looked at him.**

** "And I never planned on saying goodbye to my Bells." He said with a laugh before he leaned down and kissed me. It seemed like no time passed before we were in L.A. Struggling to make ends meet. We got our GEDs and got some crummy jobs. We had a child and got married. And I never regretted leaving. And I never will.**

"Right leaving with no warning. Leaving a car behind in the gas station parking lot that wasn't your best moment." Alice said as she looked at me. "I just don't get why you didn't tell me."

"She waited by her cell for months waiting to hear from you two." Jake said as he looked at me. "She got into a fight with Lauren when she went around telling people Jasper killed you and fled." He said as he looked at me.

"Why would she say that?" Jasper asked.

"Two people. One car. No note. The guy working the station said you two seemed to be fighting." Alice said as she looked at me. "Don't worry I kicked her ass for it."

"Everyone looked at all of us. Thinking we knew something. But, we didn't." Jake said as he looked at me. "I prayed every day that if you were dead your body would show up. I just wanted some answers. I felt like I lost someone else I loved." He said as he looked at me.

"I am sorry Jake." I said as I looked at him. "I promise I will never hurt you like that again." I said as I looked at him.

"I really want to believe you." He said as he looked at me.

"I do believe her." Alice said as she looked at him. "She was sixteen and scared. Charlie would have sent her away anyways. At least this way she got to keep the baby. You know things would have been bad if she stayed. Just look at Rose and Em." She said.

"That's different. Rose and Emmett were supposed to be siblings. You turn around for a second and she is knocked up." Jake said as he looked at her.

"They are adopted and don't act like you are so holy. People make mistakes. And mistakes make miracles." Alice said as she pointed at Sydney.

"Rose and Emmett got together?" I asked.

"Yeah like six months after you left." Alice said as she looked at me.

"Well, at least that is when she got pregnant." Jake said as he looked at me.

"They have a baby?" Jasper asked.

"She lost it." Alice said as she looked down. "But, they have love. This just made them closer. They are planning a Christmas wedding. It would be a great chance to tackle to mess of coming home."

"I don't know. I think when the time is right a phone call would be the first step." I said as I looked at her.

"Call Charlie. He really needs that pick up." Jake said as he looked at me.

"He is first on the list." Jasper said as he looked at Jake. "But, when the time is right for Bella."

"Sounds like a good plan." Jake said as he looked at us.

"Okay, I want more town gossip. What happened with Edward?" I asked as I looked at Alice.

"The boy ran off to Chicago with some girl he met is Italy." She said as she looked at me. I had forgotten all about that class trip to Italy they were planning for our senior year. I guess it just wasn't important to me.

"No way." I said as I looked at her.

"Way. Poor Angela was crushed. See they started this friends with benefits thing not long after you left. She thought I would turn into more." Alice said as she lite up. It felt like old times listening to her tell me about everything from Mike's accident to Sam and Emily's wedding. She was in heaven talking to me. It was going to be a moment I would hold close forever. I felt my heart sink when they left. It was my first day on the show so I went to the hotel and said goodbye early in the morning before heading off the studio. "I am going to call you all the time." She said as she hugged me.

"I am holding you to that." I said with a smile as I looked at her. Before turning to Jake. "I am proud of you little brother." I said with a smile.

"One month." He mumbled like old times.

"You better call me." I said as I hugged him.

"I will." He said softly.

"Tell everyone we are alive." I said with a smile before I left. I conquered the worst part of my day. Or so I thought. I got to the studio for the first table read and I felt like such an outcast. Sure there were other new people here, but I was the only one pluck out of a record store. I questioned if I was making the right decision as I sat down at the table. I was right between Danny Masterson and Wilmer Valderrama. Talk about nerve racking.

"You really need to stop looking at us like a super fan." Danny said as he looked at me. "We will be like family in no time." He said as we waited for more people to arrive.

"It just feels like a dream. Me a small town girl from Forks sitting here with the people I grew up watching on television." I said as I looked at him.

"How long have you been married?" He asked me as he looked at my ring.

"A year." I answered softly.

"I bet that was exciting." He said as he looked at me.

"Not really. I mean we didn't have anything big. We just went to the Court House." I said as I looked at my ring.

"You know they say if family is there that is all that matters." He said with a smile.

"They weren't … well expect for our little girl." I said as I looked at him. "I haven't talk to my parents in years."

"But, you're like what twenty?" Wilmer butted in.

"Nineteen. I left home when I was barely sixteen." I said as I looked at them.

"Wow, that must be rough." Danny said.

"Yeah, but what do you do when you get pregnant." I said with a weak smile. It wasn't long before we sat there reading the script out loud. I got lost in Ava's world.

_ Ava had been in Point Place for only a few days, but she overheard Hyde talking to the Forman's about them adopting her. The pain of being rejected was written on her face as she sat on the ground outside the bus stop strumming on her guitar. She had placed a hat in front of her. Maybe if she played along enough she would get enough money to get a bus out of here. She was lost in her own little world too much to realize someone was walking up next to her. "A penny for your thoughts?" A distinct voice asked. Ava looked up to see Jackie standing next to her. "You were probably expecting Steven." She said as she sat down next to Ava._

_ "I wasn't expecting anyone. Didn't you hear he does want me around?" Ava asked hatefully as she looked at Jackie._

_ "You really believe that?" Jackie asked as she looked at the girl. "I have known Steven for a long time and trust me he wouldn't have let you in if he did want you around." She said. "It's just that Steven knows what it was like to be left behind and the Forman's they seemed to care about him. They really loved him like he was theirs. That's why he went to them. He knew they would take good care of you." She said._

_ "Well, no one has to worry about me." Ava said as she looked at the hat. She might have had a dollar there. "I can handle myself."_

_ "Well, before you get a soda with the money you scrapped together here let me tell you about how my parent's left me." Jackie said as she looked at the girl. "I was just a little older than you. My father went to jail for bribery. My mother fled to Mexico. It took her months to come back. I was rejected by my parents. I had nothing, no one. Or so I thought. I spent a few nights in the basement with Steven, a few with the Forman's taking care of me, but in the end Bob took me in and treated me like his own daughter. He was my Forman's." She said. "Even if he dressed horribly and was fat. He treated me better than anyone ever did before."_

_ "I am not seeing the point in this story." Ava said as she looked at Jackie._

_ "That's because there isn't. Jackie just likes to talk about herself. Hell, Jackie just likes to talk." Hyde said as he came up to the two. "Now come on kid."_

_ "Why? What's it to you?" Ava asked._

_ "I am your brother. Like it or not you are stuck with me. And since I am all you got and I am older you are going to listen to me. Or I will put my foot in your ass." He said. _

_ "Never do that again." Jackie said with a laugh._

_ "Okay if I need to I will take her to Red for him to say it to her." He said as he helped Jackie up. "Let's go home." He said._

_ "Your messy apartment will never be home." Ava said as she stood up. "But, it's better than the bus station." She said with a smile._

_ "Steven, let's stop for ice cream?" Jackie asked as the three walked away._

_ "No." He said._

_ "But, whenever me and my dad made up we got ice cream." She whined._

_ "Well lucky for me I am not him." He said. "So, no."_

_ "Fine." She said before she turned to him and said "Please." _

_ "Fine." Hyde said._

_ "Man I really have to learn how to do that." Ava said as she looked at him._

_ "I think it's only works with me." Jackie said. "Just call me and I will get you want you want."_

_ "You two are going to be the death of me." Hyde said as he put on arm around each of them._

"That was great. Love the emotion." The director called as he looked at us. "Get some lunch." I found myself sitting in my dressing room just playing a guitar that Ashley's dad put in here for me.

"I thought we would find you in here." Wilmer said as he opened the door. He, Danny, and Asthon walked in.

"You know it is really hard for people to get to know you if you lock yourself in here." Asthon said as he sat down on one of my sofa.

"I am not good at meeting new people." I said as I looked up at them. "Especially when I don't belong."

"Trust me you belong. You are going to outshine us." Wilmer said as he looked at me.

"Nah." I said as I looked at him.

"So, you can really play that thing?" Asthon asked.

"Yeah, my husband taught me how to play when I was fourteen." I said with a smile.

"Do you sing?" Danny asked.

"Yes, but I don't know how good I am." I said.

"Let's hear something." He said.

"Okay." I said as I started to play a song I had been working on. I wasn't going to refuse these people. "My muffler's tied on with a guitar string…" I started singing and just lost my self. "…My life is like a lemon drop, I'm suckin' on the bitter to get to the sweet part I know there are better days ahead…" I sang. I was in my comfort zone now. I was confident and smiling as I continued. "…I got dirt shirts and worn out jeans, I owe two dozen quarters to a washin' machine, before these clothes will ever really shine…" I was beginning to like this more and more as I watched their faces lite up. "…But I got me a man, that just don't care, if his little darlins got underwear…" Something just fit as I sat there singing. "…All I know, there's better days ahead…" I sang before whistling. "…So I'll play my hopes…" I knew I was going to be okay as I continued on. "…Sing 'Glory, Hallelujah' if everything works out fine… Lord I know there are better days ahead." I finished. "So, can I sing?" I asked.

"Hells to the yeah." Wilmer said as he looked at me.

"I think this one is going to be just fine." Danny said with a laugh.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"It mean's let's go get some lunch." He said with a laugh. I was sitting there at the cafeteria with these huge stars picking at a salad with Jasper called.

"Jazzy how has your day been?" I asked into the phone.

"Good, it's a little weird not eating lunch in the back room." He answered.

"I know we that's been our thing for so long." I said as I looked at my salad. "I can make rat sounds for you if you want." I said with a laugh. I got some weird expressions for that one.

"No, i can live without that. I will let you go. Love you Bella bee." He said.

"Love you, Jazzy." I said before I hung up.

"So who was that?" Asthon asked.

"My husband." I said as I looked at them.

"And the rat noises?" Wilmer asked.

"A inside joke." I said with a smile.

"So what does this guy look like?" Wilmer asked. I just pulled up a picture of me, him, and Syndey and handed my phone to him.

"Who is the hunk?" Mila asked as she came up behind him. "In the picture."

"Bella's hubby." Wilmer answered.

"You picked good. Is that you're little girl?" She asked.

"Yeah." I answered.

"She is so cute." She said. It was later that night that I processed the day. I was sitting in my kitchen making dinner for Jasper.

"You know I can cook right?" He asked as he sat at the counter.

"I have always made dinner for you." I said as I looked at him. "Because I love it."

"Fine, so how was your first day? Did you make new friends?" He asked me.

"I think I did. It was so weird." I said as I looked at him. "Here I am sitting next to people we used to watch on television and they are telling me that I am a good actress."

"You are a good actress Darling." He said as he smiled up at me.

"I had lunch with Danny Masterson." I said as I looked at him. "And Mila Kunis told me I had a cute daughter."

"You do have a cute daughter." He said.

"Sweets that was the unbelievable part." I said with a laugh.

"I know, but it made you smile." He said softly. "So what is for dinner?" He asked me.

"Fettuccine with mushrooms." I said as I looked at him.

"Charlie's favorite." He said as he looked at me.

"I was thinking maybe I should call him." I said as I looked at him. "We are adults he can't do shit to us. And I miss him. This is big and I should be sharing it with him." I said as I turned back to the stove for a moment.

"Call him." Jasper said. "You should have a long time ago." He said as he looked at me. "I will finish dinner."

"No dinner is my thing go put a record on." I said with a laugh.

"Yes dear." He said as he walked over to the corner of the living room where our record player was. Before I knew it the Steve Miller Band was filling our little apartment.

"Some people call me the space cowboy…" I sang along as I looked back at Jasper who was dancing with Sydney.

"Momma get the camera." Jasper said as he looked at me. I took the camera off the counter and took a picture of my two loves.

"You two are too cute." I said as I looked at them.

"Why thank you, I thank good genes." Jasper said with a laugh.

"For all you know you came from two ugly people." I said with a laugh.

"So, someone had to give me this face." He said as they moved to sit down at the table. I laid two plates down on the table before circling back for the last one. "I do believe we were still talking about your day." He said.

"Well let's see I missed eating in the back room." I said with a smile.

"I missed that too." He said with a smile. Later that night I tucked Sydney to bed.

"Momma loves you baby girl." I said as I tucked her in.

"I love you." She said with a smile.

"That's nice to hear monkey." I said as I reached on the floor and picked up the stuffed monkey Jasper got her the day she was born. I kissed the top of her head.

"Momma I think you are the best star." She said as she closed her eyes.

"Well, you are the brightest star." I said as I looked at her. She just smiled as I got up. "Sleep tight monkey." I said before I shut the door. I walked into the living room to see Jasper typing on his laptop as he sat at the kitchen table. "I am proud of you." I said as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Why?" He asked as he looked up at me.

"You are going to school. Working to make your dreams come true." I said as I smiled.

"Bella, my dreams already came true. I have a beautiful wife and daughter. I manage to put dinner on this table somehow. And every morning I wake up to that bright smile and sweet voice." He said as he looked up at me. "And I go to bed every night with my arms around the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

"Stop that you are going to make me cry." I said as I let go of him. "So, what are you working on?" I asked as I pulled a chair next to him.

"A paper on The Prince." He said as he looked at me.

"Ah Machiavelli, I feel sorry for you." I said as I looked at him.

"You don't get to say that you read the stupid book for fun." He said with a laugh.

"Just because I didn't graduate high school doesn't make me dumb." I said as I smiled at him.

"I never said it did. You are smarter than I am." He said as he smiled at me.

"Well, then can I used that for a moment. I need to look up a number." I said as I smiled at him.

"Be my guest I wanted to get something to drink anyways." He said with a smile as he got up. I just moved into his seat and opened up the internet. "I am proud of you." He said after he came back with two bottles of water and the phone. I just dialed the number I looked up and moved over for him.

"Why?" I asked as I looked at him.

"You are facing your fears." He said with a smile as I pressed the on green on button.

"Maybe." I said as I listened to the phone ring. It seemed to ring forever. Before the answering machine picked up.

"You have reached the Swans. Sorry we missed your call. Please leave your name and number and we will try to get back to you." It was Sue's voice. I guess he married her after all. I waited for the beep.

"Hey dad it's Bella." I said before someone picked up the phone.

"Bella?" Someone said on the other line.

"Seth is that you?" I asked as I looked at Jasper.

"Yeah, probably didn't recognize the voice." He said with a laugh. He was fifteen now his voice would have changed.

"I didn't." I said as I thought about the little guy that I had left behind. He had just lost his father after going taking the divorce hard. "Is dad there?"

"No him and mom went to Port Angeles for date night?" He said. "I will have him call you."

"Thanks." I said before Seth hung up on me. "He wasn't home." I said as I looked at Jasper.

"He will call back." He said as he looked at me. "I just know it."

"What if he doesn't? What if he hates me?" I asked as I looked at Jasper.

"Bella no one could ever hate you. You are to special." He said as he smiled at me as he put his arm around me.

"I hope your right." I said as I looked at him.


End file.
